Towering ambitions for city hall

Built in 1937-1942, Aarhus City Hall is located in the city centre surrounded by parkland. The City Hall consists of three staggered building elements. The main block facing City Hall Square houses the representative functions and council chambers. The long, tall…

Built in 1937-1942, Aarhus City Hall is located in the city centre surrounded by parkland. The City Hall consists of three staggered building elements. The main block facing City Hall Square houses the representative functions and council chambers. The long, tall Panopticon wing is the administrative block. And the third section is a low wing of offices. The design and style reflect Nordic modernism, with organic lines that soften the business-like, constructive design. The outside of the concrete construction is covered with sheets of marble. Inside, brass and wood make an elegant impression.

No monument without a tower

Architects Arne Jacobsen and Erik Møller won the 1937 competition to design a new city hall for Aarhus. But the original project hit a snag in 1942 when the people of Aarhus realised their city hall would have no tower. They were not at all happy. Many of them thought that the city's most important building should be monumental. And although it was a time of modern ideas and democracy, it had to have a tower. So the architects added a 60-metre rectangular tower to the original plan. This tower is clad in sheets of marble topped by a concrete structure with six balconies and two clock faces. It looks a little like abandoned scaffolding, and many people did not like it at first. However, it has since become a valued trademark for the city.